Colleagues,

I greatly appreciate the work and preparation so many of you have completed over the last several weeks to prepare us for this moment. In consultation with the President and the President’s Cabinet, I have asked the IT leadership team to work with you now to implement the following steps immediately.

The president has directed administrators and supervisors to consider our actions to-date, and yesterday I spoke with the members of the IT leadership team regarding the details of our on-campus staffing and our plan to achieve the goals outlined in the Governor’s Order which requires us to make the following adjustments to our services and schedules:

All Information Technology employees who are able to work remotely must do so. I have spoken with the Associate Vice Presidents and we have established the parameters for on-site work. In certain cases we have established, on-site work  is permissible. Please check with your supervisor regarding access to on-campus offices and for specific instructions regarding on-site work assignments.

With this in mind, we are enacting the following changes for our client-facing services:

• • Technology Center: Information Technology will provide all Tech Center support services remotely. We will suspend all walk-in, and in-person support at Bracken Library beginning Wednesday morning until further notice. We will provide hardware and equipment services through a no-contact drop-off and pickup service, arranged curbside at Bracken library by special appointment. Phone-based support and pickup or drop-off services will be arranged between 8-5, M-F whenever possible.
    For the time being, we will continue to have staff physically present in the Tech Center to provide pickup and drop-off service, but staffing will be limited according to workload, and all those working on site will be required to maintain the social distancing requirements prescribed by the Order. We have put up guidance directing clients to the Tech Center phone number 765-285-TECH(8324) or the Technology Helpdesk support line at 765-285-1517 to get assistance or arrange curbside drop off or pickup.
  • Technology Store: The Technology Store will be available by phone. We will provide delivery service curbside at the library to the client car, as described above. Hours off curbside pickup services will be by appointment, under the same guidelines as described for the Technology Center, but on-site staff will not be available other than to serve these delivery requests.
  • Testing Labs: Testing labs are now be closed. We will not be offering this service by appointment since we have online options available. Please refer clients to the Keep Teaching and Working website for more information about remote testing capabilities.
  • Media Lab Checkout: In consultation with the dean and the TCOM department, Alan Gordon has confirmed we have now closed the equipment checkout service. Alan and his team will work with the dean or the department chair for any special request. Contact the Media Services staff at 765-285-5373 with any questions about their services.
  • Accessible Technology Lab: Given that the building is now secured, the Accessible Technology Lab will be available through remote support only, between the hours of 8-5 M-F. Please direct clients to the ACT by phone at 765-285-8275, or by e-mail at actlab@bsu.edu. We will also post updates on our “Keep Teaching and Working” and “Keep Learning” web sites.
  • ID Card Office: We will not have on-site staff in the ID Card office, but will provide phone-based support. By exceptional need, we will arrange for on-site services such as ID pickup. In any case where on-site service is required, our staff will adhere to the social distancing requirements in the Order. Clients may contact the ID Card Office between 8am-5 pm, Monday-Friday at idcards@bsu.edu or by phone at 765-285-2273.
  • MediaSite Lecture Recording and Distance Education Studios: Our staff have been in contact with all faculty using Adobe Connect, and have provided these faculty with contact information for the On-Air Directors, along with instructions to gain access to the building. We’ve posted a notice that faculty wishing to make an appointment for MediaSite suites to record lectures may do so by calling 765-285-1899 and that faculty with questions about distance education studios should contact that office at 765-285-2980.

In addition to the above, we have other functions such as the in-office staff required to operate WIPB and IPR, and also behind-the-scenes team running our operations center, and several other essential units. The leadership team will continue to work with members of their teams to ensure we minimize on-site activity to the locations and personnel necessary to carry out the essential functions described in the Order.  As with all on-site activity, staff working on site will be required to adhere to the requirements for social distancing when performing their essential functions.

We also know that some employees may need intermittent access to buildings for emergency or periodic access, such as collecting mail or addressing an on-site systems issue. Employees will still have access to buildings and their offices for this purpose, much as they do after-hours today. Employees should limit access to what is necessary. When on-site, all employees should maintain social distancing and be responsible for sanitizing contact points (doorknobs, equipment, etc.). Please stagger on-site visits to minimize contact.

Finally, I want to express my sincere thanks to each of you for your ongoing dedication, flexibility, and resilience during these incredibly challenging circumstances. Thank you for all of your efforts.

If you have concerns or questions, please let your supervisor or me know.

Loren